How Does Diabetes Impact Everyone In A Family and Their Relationships?

Last Saturday, I had the privilege and pleasure of presenting my What Color Is Your Brain? While Living with Type One Diabetes keynote presentation and facilitating the  “Highs” and “Lows” of diabetes management and family relationships during my interactive group activity session at the South New Jersey JDRF Chapter’s “Living With Type One Diabetes” Educational Symposium.

My programs according to Barb Garrison, who is the Outreach Director and coordinator of the symposium, were “SPECTACULAR”! My husband Jordan and I thought the entire educational symposium, the JDRF staff, volunteers, and attendees were “EXTRAORDINARY”! The energy and encouragement between the attendees, presenter, vendors and JDRF staff members was palpable.

My Blue Heart and Brain were exhausted after the event. 28 years ago, when our son Joshua was diagnosed, I could never have imaged such a remarkable educational and supportive event, as we did last Saturday! The day was highly emotional for me on many levels. Jordan and I have attended other diabetes/JDRF events over the last 28 years. However, I have no words to accurately describe the symposium, the genuine caring for others, and how the experience made our Blue Hearts sing! We were deeply moved by the experience of looking at, speaking with, and/or listening to others chatting about diabetes, knowing that they felt exactly like we do about living with and managing Type 1 Diabetes (T1D).

In the breakout session attendees answered 4 questions according to their Brain Colors. On each Brain Colors chart they were instructed to include a “D”, which represented a comment made by a  person with Type 1 Diabetes (T1D) or an “F”, which represented a comment made by family member.

Below a sampling of what each Brain Color wrote. The comments will give you a realistic perspective about living with and managing  Type 1 Diabetes every hour of every day.

1.  How does diabetes impact everyone in your family? The individuals who do have diabetes and the ones who do not have diabetes?

  • Everything revolves around person with T1D F
  • Feels like we all have diabetes F
  • Makes us a strong family D
  • Concerns for diabetic from caregiver F/D
  • Attention focused on diabetic and not siblings F
  • Wanting to allow diabetic independence F
  • Worrying about being in college with diabetes D
  • Schedules and Priorities F
  • More healthy lifestyle D
  • Adaptability F
  • Unbalanced attention with and between 2 siblings F
  • Diabetes management keeps a sense of order/structure in my house D
  • Diabetes takes the spontaneity out of activities: always having to check blood, insulin, snacks F
  • Diabetes keeps us occupied. F
  • Thinking where our son is, has he checked his blood sugar F
  • Thinking is he doing well in terms of management. F

Jordan and I also enjoyed speaking with many people who have T1D and the parents, partners, siblings, and family members of individuals who have T1D, while I autographed copies of What Color Is Your Brain? and Princess Shayna’s Invisible Visible Gift.

Watch for more information about the “Living with Type One Diabetes” symposiums on future blog posts. If you are interested in knowing more about the educational symposium, please send me an email at sheila@sheilaglazov.com.

It was a GRAND DAY!
My most Blue Heartfelt Thanks to the South Jersey Chapter of JDRF!
Bravissimo!

SNG Brain Power BlogBoost your Brain Power with links in the right-hand side column of this page! Remember that 10% of the royalties from the sale of my books is allocated to JDRF (Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation).

 

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